Routine Donations
by RisingStorm15
Summary: Alec has a fear of needles and a rare blood type, blood donations at the institute are something he dreads every year, until a certain warlock offers to accompany him


It was days like this that Magnus dreaded.

Days when his angel was moping and refusing to talk about whatever was upsetting him, thus causing Magnus to immediately work to draw it out of him.

Usually some cuddles, a nice cup of tea and a night free of the pressures of running the institute would draw him out of his shell, but tonight it just wasn't seeming to work. Alec was currently outside on his balcony, staring forlornly out at the city below, shivering slightly in the cold of the night air.

Picking up the softest blanket he owned, Magnus crept up behind his angel, wrapping him securely in the blanket before settling behind him for a hug.

"You seem troubled Alexander, care to share?"

Alec sighed softly, leaning back against his beloved's warmth.

"I'm not troubled, just…slightly anxious I guess," he replied, turning to snuggle his head in to Magnus' neck, inhaling his unique scent of sandalwood and exotic spice. Magnus tightened his arms around the shadowhunter, a small smile teasing his lips.

"What in the world could ruffle my angel's wings hmm?" Magnus inquired softly.

If Alec sighed yet again Magnus' mind was going to wander where it shouldn't and he nudged him softly to prompt him to speak.

"Tomorrow we have this routine donation thing at the institute and since I'm the acting head I can't miss it," Alec muttered.

Magnus tightened his hug, brow creasing in confusion as he considered the issue before him. Alec never complained about his duties unless they went against what he thought was right, maybe this donation was for a cause he didn't support?

"And just what does this 'donation' require you to do?"

Alec paused, face screwing up in a tight grimace where it was cradled on his boyfriend's shoulder.

"I…I have to give blood…,'

Magnus chuckled, laughing in relief as he realised the trivial issue was a minor one after all. He knew that shadowhunters regularly donated blood so that the critically injured would have a stock in the infirmary, it only took about half an hour and the loss was insignificant to the donor.

"That's what you were moping about? Giving blood?"

Alec immediately stiffened in his arms, pulling away from the tight hug with an angry huff. Magnus watched as he moved away from him, arms wrapping around himself as if to give comfort, angry tears pricking at the corner of his eyes and making Magnus' heart drop.

"You don't understand Magnus, I'm terrified of needles for a start, and I have given blood since I was a kid and every year they take more and more from me and this years will be the worst yet! I'm the rarest blood type, they take more from me than anyone else and they don't care that I'm scared they just say there's nothing to worry about and that doesn't help me at all!" Alec ranted, tears now slowly trickling down his face as he panted roughly.

Magnus immediately felt guilt prick at him for treating Alec's fear like it was nothing since it clearly wasn't and he moved to take Alec's cold hand in his own warm one.

"Did you ever tell them to stop?"

Alec nodded, a grimace forming over his features at what was clearly bad memories.

"I asked, I cried, I begged for them to stop but they're under orders and they just strapped me down so I couldn't run away. Tomorrow they'll do it again, and what with Valentine's attacks they'll take so much more blood than ever before and I can't do it, Magnus, I can't go!"

Magnus immediately pulled Alec in for a comforting hug, rubbing his back softly as his angel's tears slowed and eventually subsided. Pulling away slightly he pressed a soft kiss to his angel's forehead.

"How about tomorrow I'll go with you, anyone who says otherwise will have to answer to my magic. How does that sound? I'll be there the whole time," Magnus proposed, smiling softly at the light that flared in Alec's stormy hazel eyes.

"I would love that".

* * *

Alec did NOT want to get out of bed, the thought of what lay ahead leaving him burrowing down in to the covers and pretending he didn't exist.

Only Magnus' soothing touch and the promise of a nice calm morning with his warlock got him showered and dressed and now apparently seated on a rather uncomfortable chair outside the infirmary, Magnus beside him perusing a gossip magazine to pass the time.

Alec's foot tapped away against the floor and he knew it probably annoyed everyone else in the room, not that anyone would say anything what with him being the head of the institute and dating the high warlock of Brooklyn.

"Alexander Lightwood?"

The call of the young shadowhunter nurse had his gut churning but a gentle smile from Magnus had him slowly standing and walking in to the side-room she indicated.

He new the drill and slowly lowered himself to sit of the chair that rather resembled one found in a mundane dentist. Magnus pulled a chair over so he could sit beside him, a supportive hand clasped around his own shaking ones.

Alec didn't need a mirror to know that his was pale and shaking like a leaf, his eyes darting to the long needle attached to a bag just waiting to be filled with his unique blood type.

A man entered the room, throwing a flirtatious wink to the nurse who was washing her hands at the sink, causing her to blush furiously.

Alec knew this particular doctor, doctor Reeves, since he was usually the one who had to handle Alec's donation.

"Hey Alec, congratulations on the promotion!" Reeves called happily as he snapped on some gloves.

"Thanks," Alec bit out shakily.

The doctor smoothly wheeled over a stool so he could start preparing the equipment, opening a jar of rubbing alcohol and a wipe.

"So, no feeling of recent illness of past diseases I need to know about?"

Alec shook his head, unable to articulate a verbal reply with the pounding of his heart and the restriction of air in his lungs.

Magnus tightened his grip on his hand to reassure him and Alec sent a shaky smile his way, eyes darting to the needle currently being picked up and tested by the doctor and knowing that if he didn't get out of here now that very needle was going to be stuck in his arm.

Memories of other bad experiences filled his mind and his shaking increased, eyes fixating on the closed door.

"I- I c-can't d-do t-this," Alec stuttered, moving to rise out of his chair in panic.

"It's okay Alexander, you need to relax and just stay calm," Magnus murmured, a hand pushing on his chest to keep him seated whilst the other squeezed his own hand in support.

The sudden snapping of remote control restraints had him crying out and immediately straining at them with frantic aborted movements.

Magnus was immediately on his feet and snatching the control out of doctor Reeve's hands before retracting the restraints with fury evident in his stiff movements.

"These are hardly necessary, Alexander will stay right where he is so long as I am here," Magnus growled.

Alec's heart pounded slower at the retraction of the restraints but the knowledge that the needle was still in his imminent future had him practically vibrating.

Sharing a calculating look with the doctor, Magnus gracefully folded himself back in to his seat beside his beloved, turning his pallid face away from the sight of the needle, causing an immediate lowering of his heartbeat.

Grasping a working tactic, Magnus immediately started talking, rambling on about a potion he had whipped up for a customer to reignite the flames of love in her partner's estranged heart, watching as Alec became engrossed in the story so much that he didn't even notice the swab that cleaned his inner elbow.

Seeing the doctor gesture to the needle in his hand Magnus desperately thought of something he could do as the ultimate distraction, letting his reflexes take over and pull Alec in to a kiss, locking their lips together as Alec's tense muscles relaxed at the intimate touch.

Immediately Reeves stuck the needle in, watching with a smirk of satisfaction as blood began working its way in to the bag and his patient didn't even flinch.

When Magnus pulled away with an adoring smile upon his face Alec seemed to realize that he'd been duped and pouted, gaze moving to catch sight of the needle in his skin only to be redirected by Magnus' hand on his cheek, guiding his gaze back to the unglamoured eyes of his warlock.

"My dear Alexander let me tell you about this one time when Catarina and I…"

The constant litany of stories seemed to lull Alec in to a sort of relaxed haze. He didn't seem to be concentrating all that well on what Magnus was saying but he seemed to be calmed by the sound of his voice so Magnus kept up with his tales of both the distant past to a few days ago.

The doctor and the pretty nurse also seemed to be interested in his stories, chiming in with questions every now and then to keep the conversation flowing.

By the time two bags had been filled and labelled with Alec's name in bold print they even seemed disappointed that his stories would come to a close.

Taping a cotton swab over the site of the injection, doctor Reeves scooted to face Magnus.

"Now I usually give out pamphlets detailing recovery processes but I'll give you the run down since you seem pretty attuned to Alec's needs. Make sure he gets plenty of fluids and does no running or missions for twenty four hours wiles he rests. We had to take more blood than usual to make sure he has some sugar and that if you see any side effects you let me know. Now what's normal for you to see in Alec is that he usually gets pretty loopy and clumsy after a donation so getting him to bed is usually the best option, any questions?" He explained.

Magnus shook his head, nodding respectful goodbyes and he opened a portal with a wave of his wrist and gently helped Alec in to a standing position.

Upon entering his loft it became entirely clear that Alec was completely out of it, pupils blown wide as he clumsily careened towards a wall.

Magnus reached out to tug at his waist, pulling him away from the collision effortlessly as his angel was practically pliable in his hands.

"One foot in front of the other my angel, you can do it," Magnus encouraged as Alec took a lazy swipe at the air.

"I'm tired Maggie," Alec murmured dopily.

"I know angel, we'll get in you in bed and you can sleep as long as you like," Magnus hushed, gently propelling Alec's body towards the bed and arranging his limbs so he could get to sleep.

Alec grinned dopily up at him, reaching out of the covers to grasp Magnus' sleeve in a clumsy grip.

"Come cuddle with me I'm cold," Alec whined softly.

Shaking his head with a chuckle Magnus stripped off his shoes and shirt before climbing in beside his angel, wrapping arms around him, causing a pleased hum to emanate from his shadowhunter.

"Sleep well angel".


End file.
